My current work has its starting points in the land and coastal areas around me, the wild and open places I run and walk. Working in acrylics, I am responding to the glimpses and glances of the shapes, boats, rocks, contours and the colours that pass me by and please me. Less of a direct representation and much more of a response to my experience. My process uses sketches, photography, works on paper through to printmaking and acrylics wooden board and panels.
More and more, I am exploring the process of editing out what is irrelevant whilst keeping strength and clarity in my work. At one extreme of this exploration I use collage and very simple shape constructions, or printing making with the focus on the meeting of just two shapes. And when the urge arises I go to another end of the exploration and paint large and looser to follow the same curiosity but with a different energy and set of constraints.
I work from my Chester studio where I live with my husband and Ruby, our Labrador.
I delivered creative projects in the community for many years, including galleries, mental health care setting and with the general public. I am a trained psychotherapist, though no-longer in private practice.
I mentor artists of all disciplines via zoom and in my studio.
An interesting fact – I never sat a science exam subject in my life. After a career in advertising, I went to art college in my mid 40’s, initially for a one year course – a sort of sabbatical – but I couldn’t stop there and I went onto do the BA Embroidery at Manchester School of Art. And have been a practicing artist ever since.
